Bruce

(VIC)

Melbourne Eastern Suburbs

Marginal Labor 6.5%

Election Result

MP

Alan Griffin (ALP) since 1996, before that having represented the abolished electorate of Corinella 1993-96.

Profile

Compact 68 sq.km electorate on both sides of the Mulgrave Freeway in Melbourne's south-east suburbs. It includes the suburbs of Wheelers Hill, Mulgrave, Springvale, Noble Park, Dandenong North and parts of Glen Waverley and Dandenong. The electorate includes Springvale Cemetery and Sandown Racecourse as well as the former site of AFL Park.

Redistribution

Loses around 3,000 voters from Glen Waverley in the north to Chisholm, while gaining around 8,000 in Dandenong from Holt. Labor's majority rises from 5.5% to 6.5% as a result.

History/Trivia

Created in 1955, the electorate is named after Stanley Bruce (later Lord Bruce of Melbourne), Prime Minister 1923-29. It was Liberal held until 1996, former members include Billy Snedden (1955-83) and Ken Aldred (1983-90). It was held by the Liberal Party's Julian Beale 1990-96, when a redistribution changed it from being a comfortable Liberal seat into a marginal Labor one. Beale was defeated in a head-to-head contest against Alan Griffin, who had had an even more difficult time following the abolition of his electorate of Corinella. Griffin increased his majority with a 6.0% swing in 1998 but suffered a small 1.2% swing against him in 2001. According to the 2001 Census, 43.1% of the electorate's population was born overseas, the fourth highest in the country and highest in Victoria.

2-Party Booth Result

Wide diversity of booth results, Labor recording a majority in 23 of the 32 booths used in 2001, ranging from 32.6% at Jells Park Primary in Wheelers Hill to 76.8% at Whitworth Avenue Primary in Springvale. Generally the stronger Liberal booths are in the north of the electorate in Glen Waverley and Wheelers Hill, Labor's strength in the south around Springvale, Noble Park and Dandenong.